20 Easy Ways to Use Leftover Pickle Juice

Pickles are one of the most common household foods found all over the world. If you’re among those who enjoy pickles, you’ve more than likely had plenty of jars full of leftover pickle juice and wondered if throwing it out was really the only choice. Well, there are actually a ton of ways to use it up without throwing it out! To give you an idea…

You can use your leftover pickle juice for the following purposes:

• Vinegar substitute
• Marinate chicken and other recipes
• Additional flavoring
• Weed killer
• Cleaning solution for utensils
• Brine for more pickles – perfect when you just at the last pickle or grabbed the last jar of pickles

That’s not all of it yet, there are so many other things you can use your pickle juice with.

In this article, I am going to tell you 20 easy ways to use up your leftover pickle juice instead of throwing it out. However, before starting, you must follow a few steps to ensure that the pickle juice you have is safe to reuse. 

Wondering what to do with your leftover pickled onion brine? Find out in my article here!

When is it Safe to Use Leftover Pickle Juice? 

Refrigerated pickle juice can last for two months. So, if you want to reuse the leftover juice, use it up by then. But, you have to be careful about reusing pickle juice. Sometimes it can go bad, and sometimes it can be too spicy, or have an unpleasant smell. 

NOTE: Pickle juice can go bad when the lids are not sealed properly. Look inside the jar and if you see mold, then the pickle juice is no longer edible.  

• First, consider how old the pickle juice is. If it is too old, then there is a good chance that it has spoiled. Moreover, the jars have to be closed tightly.
• Has your jar of pickle juice passed the mold test? Then great! Now, how do you want to reuse the pickle juice?
• You can keep the juice just the way it is and use it in different foods. Remove the spices such as garlic, cloves, pepper, chili, and dills. Try to remove the spices as much as possible to get a clear juice.
• Finally, taste the brine. If you like the taste, then start using it. On the other hand, do not throw away the moldy pickle juice as you may find other ways to use it.

Now the question is, how many times can you reuse pickle juice?

Most people who use pickle juice advise not to use leftover pickle juice more than once, and some say it can be used two or three times. However, keep in mind it will not have the same pleasant taste every time so you’ll want to do this assessment before each time it is used.

20 Easy Ways to Use Leftover Pickle Juice

Now that you have learned how to check if your pickle juice is good for reusing, you are now ready to learn the various ways of using them.

You will not only discover the most common alternative uses for pickle juice, but you will also learn about some unique ways to reuse it. 

#1: Vinegar Substitute

When you remove the spices from the pickle juice, only the mixture of water, salt, and vinegar will be left. Then you can easily use the pickle juice as a substitute for vinegar and use it in different foods. Both vinegar and pickle juice enhances the taste of a dish.

Pickle juice has a similar sour and acidic taste to vinegar. What makes it slightly different is the salt and water mixed with it. Consider this while adding pickle juice in the recipes and avoid using salt or add just a small amount as the pickle juice already has salt in it. 

#2: Marinade and Tenderize

Pickle juice is great for marinating chicken. The acid of the juice steeps into the muscle fibers of meats and tenderizes them.

To marinate chicken with pickle juice, you have to submerge the chicken meat in the pickle juice. Then cover and put it in the refrigerator for 6 to 10 hours. 

TIP: Try marinating other meats like pork and beef with pickle juice and see how it elevates the taste of the dish. The dish will taste very nice because pickle juice has some remains of spices mixed with vinegar and salt. 

#3: Reuse to Make More Pickles

One of the most common and easy ways of not wasting pickle juice is reusing it to make more pickles. This can be done in two ways.

1. Cut cucumbers, onions, green chili, or green mangoes and boil them with the pickle juice to make quick pickles. 
2. You can directly use the leftover pickle juice for quick pickles when you are planning to eat them soon. The pickles will be ready for eating within 24 hours.

If you are planning to preserve pickles, you have to remove the old spices from the brine and add new spices (garlic, pepper, and ginger) because the old spices in the juice will get spoiled faster.

DID YOU KNOW? Pickling and fermenting are two different processes. Many people confuse the two that’s why I wrote an article to answer the question of whether pickling and fermenting are the same thing. Check it out here!

#4: Can Vegetables and Food

Vinegar is a fermented solution of sugar and water. So, it is a natural preservative. We can say the same about pickle juice. Before using the pickle juice to make canned vegetables, you need to boil the pickle juice first.  

You can cut soft vegetables like beets, carrots, cauliflower, and ginger into small pieces and preserve them for a while using pickle juice. These little pieces of preserved vegetables will have a tangy and delicious taste! The canned vegetables will remain edible depending on the age of the pickle juice.  

#5: Weed Killer

What if the leftover pickle juice gets spoiled, or you simply do not want to reuse it? There is no need to throw away moldy pickle juice. You can still use it as a natural weed killer.

One of the biggest headaches for any gardener is weeds, as they can be hard to control and take over the plants in the garden.

You can put the pickle juice in a spraying bottle and directly spray it on the weeds. Pickle juice has acetic acid which can kill weeds very effectively.

IMPORTANT TIP: Make sure to avoid the plants you intend to grow when using pickle juice as a weed killer. Trees and plants can die when they come in direct contact with vinegar.

You can also use pickle juice to clean the moss growing in your yard or on the walls. Spray the brine on the moss, and they will gradually go away.

Because pickle juice has no harmful chemicals, it will not harm the birds or animals picking on the weeds or soil. So you don’t need to worry about your pet’s safety or the environment.

Moreover, there are also some plants that grow well in slightly acidic soils. Two examples of this type of plant are hydrangeas and rhododendrons.

To help these plants grow, simply pour pickle juice on the soil around them. Be careful not to pour pickle juice directly on the plants because it can cause serious damage to them.  

#6: Cleaning Utensils

It can be frustrating to clean the burned food from the copper pans, and if you have tried different tactics to remove charred and crusty food from your pans to no avail, this method is for you! Fortunately, leftover pickle juice also works as an excellent utensil cleaner. 

How to Clean Pans And Pots Using Pickle Juice

1. Simply boil the leftover pickle juice
2. Pour the boiled pickle juice into the pan or pot you want to clean
3. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes
4. Clean the pan or pot with a scrub as usual

You will find it easier to clean this time with pickle juice. It is even easier to reach the spots which you could not before. 

Aside from the dirty pans or pots, you can also clean a grill with pickle brine.

When you barbeque, food and other debris can get stuck on the grills, and cleaning them can be very time-consuming. This method using pickle brine is quick and easy!

• Simply pour boiled pickle juice on the grill
• Let it sit for a few minutes
• Use a scrubby to scrub off the dirt
• Rinse with water
• Wipe with a cloth

#7: Rust Remover

It will surprise you how effective pickle juice can be for removing rust from metal. Vinegar is already a popular rust remover, so why not use pickle juice? 

Normally, you need to add salt to vinegar and create a mixture to soak rusty objects. But in the case of pickle juice, salt is already in the mixture. The rust on the metal react with the acid of the vinegar, and the salt eats up the rust. 

To use pickle juice as a rust remover, you will need a container bigger than the rusty object so that you can completely soak it. The container has to be made of non-reactive metals like plastic or glass. 

First, fill the container with enough pickle juice to soak the rusty object. Leave the object in the juice for 12 hours to a few days. How fast the rust loosens depends on the object and how rusty it is.

When the rust loosens, use steel wool or aluminum foil to remove the rust. Clean carefully, and you will find your object rust-free and squeaky clean once again.

#8: Boiling Potatoes 

Want to make boiled potatoes tasty? Use pickle juice to make ‘Dill Pickle Potato Salad’!

How To Make Dill Pickle Potato Salad Using Leftover Pickle Juice

1. Add enough pickle juice and water to a pot to boil the potatoes.
2. Wait until the mixture boils.
3. Once it boils, add a little salt.
4. After 15 minutes of boiling, the potatoes should be ready to eat.

Similarly, you can make hard boil eggs using the same method. Try this egg cooker from Amazon for perfect hard-boiled eggs!

#9: Add on Tuna or Other Fish Recipes

Tuna and pickle juice are an impressive combination. From making tuna salad to a tuna sandwich, there are hundreds of ways to make tuna with pickle juice.

Other kinds of seafood can be marinated and tenderized with pickle juice as well. Cooking clams with pickle juice is also a tasty way to use pickle juice.

TIP: The acidic substance of the juice can enhance the taste of any seafood. You can also poach fish with diluted pickle juice to steam the fish or cook the fish broth with pickle juice.

#10: Add As Taste Enhancer

If you want to experiment with food, try adding pickle juice to different kinds of dishes. Now that you’re aware that it makes a great vinegar substitute, you can start with dishes in which you add vinegar often.

Here are some ways you can enhance your favorite dishes with pickle juice:

• Add some pickle juice to egg yolks and make deviled eggs. The taste becomes so extraordinary that people are bound to ask you the secret of your egg recipe. You can decorate the eggs with coriander, which will add more to the taste.
• When you have a good amount of leftover pickle juice, use it as a salad dressing. The taste of your salad will completely change. Mix only one or two spoons of pickle juice in a medium-size bowl of salad.
• Making some sauce to eat with fries? Consider adding pickle juice instead of vinegar.
• People use pickles in their sandwiches. So, pickle juice can also be a good option. Use the juice as a sauce and see how the sandwiches taste. You will not be disappointed that’s for sure.
• Macaroni and cheese is a favorite, but instead of the same old taste, mix in some pickle juice to get a sour flavor. Or, use the leftover pickle juice to marinate the cheese and use the cheese to prepare mac and cheese.  
• Vegetable juice is full of vitamins but sometimes doesn’t taste the best. You can make it tolerable by adding a splash of pickle juice to the drink.
• Pickle juice is delicious when added to soups. It is a perfect alternative to vinegar water.  
• Out of lemons to add to hummus? Grab that extra pickle juice and mix it in. It’s a tasty alternative to lemons in any hummus recipe!

#11: Making Bread

Instead of using a liquid like water or milk, try adding pickle juice to make bread. The taste of the bread will be sour and salty, but it will have a lot of health benefits compared to normal bread. If you’re short on time for making bread, this bread maker from Amazon is a great value!

#12: Marinate Cheese 

Give your mozzarella cheese a twist by using pickle juice to marinate it. Other soft cheeses like goat cheese and feta also taste amazing when you use pickle juice to marinate them. These cheeses can be used to make other dishes, which will be equally amazing.   

#13: Get Rid of Bad Breath

Having bad breath is an embarrassing problem for anyone. However, if you have pickles or pickle juice every day, you can easily get rid of this problem.

The reason behind bad breath is the increasing number of bacteria in your mouth. As pickle juice is fermented, it can kill the bacteria. 

So, to get rid of bad breath, have one spoon of pickle juice before your meals. It will definitely help!

#14: Pickle Juice for Hair 

An itchy scalp can be an irritating problem. Use extra pickle juice to stop the itch! However, make sure to use the non-spicy ones because the spicy juice will seriously damage your hair. 

The vinegar will kill the bacteria that cause itchiness and the salt stimulates blood circulation in the scalp. As a result, your hair will grow faster and become healthier. 

To use pickle juice on your scalp:

• Soak some cotton balls in pickle juice
• Apply the cotton to your scalp on the affected areas
• Use this remedy once a week until the itchiness resolves
• This solution can also help reduce dandruff  

Anytime you’re coming up on an empty pickle jar, just grab the rest of the leftover liquid and put it to good use! Helping your hair health is a great way to use that leftover brine, making it an obvious choice for any pickle lover.

#15: Cure Blackheads and Pimples

You can use pickle juice to cure pimples and blackheads. It can also work as a toner and tighten the pores. This is best used as a temporary replacement for vinegar since vinegar is much stronger than pickle juice.  

The non-spicy pickle juice can fight the bacteria that cause pimples and blackheads.

To use pickle juice on pimples and blackheads:

• Dip a cotton swab or cotton ball in pickle juice
• Apply only on pimples or areas with blackheads 
• Try adding rose water to lessen the pickle smell
• This mix removes dirt and toxins
• Removes dead cells and deep cleans the skin

NOTE: Do not apply the pickle solution all over your face, and do not let it sit on your skin for too long. Wash your face after a few minutes of application. The pimples will dry out eventually.

#16: Pickle Juice in Drinks

Get creative and use pickle juice in preparing party drinks! It adds a tangy and salty flavor to cocktails and is a perfect mixer for happy hour.

Here are some ideas to get you started: 

• Mixing pickle juice in making a Bloody Mary has become quite common these days. This drink needs salty and acidic addition so pickle juice goes well with it.
• When you are serving a dirty martini at the party and suddenly you run out of olives, you can use pickle juice. The juice will create a unique tart taste and your guests will definitely love it.  
• You can make it even more fun with whiskey. Whiskeys are strong so you can lessen the effect by drinking shots of pickle juice right after drinking whiskey shots. 
• Mix vodka or gin with a dash of pickle juice to make Pickletinis for your guests. 
• You can also prepare non-alcoholic drinks with pickle juice. Add olive juice with pickle juice and present the drinks as non-alcoholic sparkling drinks. 
• Try making some pickleback shots where you take a shot of pickle juice or other savory drinks from the juice of your own pickles for a little extra flavor. It’s one of our favorite ways to use leftover pickle brine and to help lower food waste. 

HOT TIP: You can make pickle juice ice cubes to spice up your drinks! Use them in any of these drinks listed above or get creative. Try this ice cube tray from Amazon for pickle ice!

#17: Hangover Cure

Having the most fun and drinking too much at the party is okay! But the problem that follows afterward is not so pleasant. Yes, the terrible headache and hangover.

Drinking too much alcohol results in a loss of electrolytes. Dehydration can cause really bad headaches. 

Pickle juice has potassium and sodium, and both can help to hydrate our bodies. It balances the electrolytes of the body and thus cures hangovers. 

So, if you had too much drink at last night’s party, you can consume a few spoonfuls of the leftover pickle juice from your fridge and cure your hangover.    

#18: Workout Drink 

Pickle juice is quite popular among people who like to work out. It contains a lot of vitamins and electrolytes, so it can be consumed as an energy drink. You do not need to do anything extra to drink pickle juice as a workout drink and just drink it straight out of the jar. 

The electrolytes in the juice give you energy and keep your body hydrated. Therefore, you can drink it both before and after exercise. This way, you do not need to buy any energy drinks and can save some money.   

#19: Use as Medicine

Pickles are a favorite food not just because they are tasty but also because they are healthy. There are many reasons to add pickles and pickle juice to your daily diet.

Here are some health benefits you will get from drinking pickle juice regularly:

• Vitamins and Antioxidants: Pickle juice contains a considerable amount of vitamin C, vitamin E, and antioxidants. Vitamin C and Vitamin E boost our immune system. Antioxidants are great for our skin, teeth, and hair, and protect the body from harmful molecules like free radicals.
• Soothes Muscle Cramps: Dehydration is the main reason for muscle cramping. Drinking pickle juice soothes muscle cramps because it contains electrolytes and works faster than drinking water. The vinegar in pickle juice is a rapid pain reliever, and it stops nerve signals to soothe muscle cramps.
• Relieve Period Cramps: A lot of women often suffer from period cramps. Consuming a few spoons of pickle juice can help to relieve this pain. Drinking pickle juice can also help women to stay energized during menstruation.   
• Controlling Blood Sugar Level: If you have diabetes, you can consume one or two spoons of pickle juice before every meal. According to research, pickle juice helps to control blood sugar levels. Uncontrolled blood sugar levels or diabetes causes serious health issues.
• Boost Digestive System: Pickle juice is highly helpful for the digestive system. As pickle juice is fermented, it has good bacteria that make our gut strong. It also eases gastric pain and food poisoning. 

#20: Pickle Juice Popsicles  

Make pickle juice popsicles! Children and adults will love these sour and spicy popsicles, so make a few and try them out. They might sound a bit weird but trust me they are really good, and perfect for a hot day. I really like these popsicle molds from Amazon!

Caution About Consuming Too Much Pickle Juice

Pickle juice has a lot of health benefits but it is not good for you if consumed in large quantities or too frequently. 

Here are a few things you must know before adding pickle juice to your diet:

• Pickle juice contains a high amount of sodium. Therefore, consuming a lot of pickle juice in one go can cause stomach bloating and swelling.
• Too much consumption of pickle juice can also increase blood pressure. So, people with high blood pressure have to be careful about it.
• If anyone accidentally drinks spoiled pickle brine, they will suffer from stomach problems like diarrhea and stomach pain. 

However, these problems can be avoided when you drink a healthy amount of pickle juice and avoid overconsuming it.     

Conclusion 

As you have learned by now, there are tons of ways you can use leftover pickle juice. Not only will you be wasting less food, but also pickle juice has various health and economic benefits.

Avoid wasting this useful and healthy brine, and instead, get creative and come up with different ways to reuse your left-over pickle juice! 

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